Azure Website - Umbraco from gallery using sqlce instead of sql server

Question

I've trying to setup an Umbraco site on Azure by choosing it from the Website gallery. However, even though I am prompted for SQL Server information and I can see that a SQL Server database is created it doesn't look like it is ever used.

Instead, if I FTP into the site it looks like it is creating a SQL Server CE database in the App_Data folder.

I tried altering the connection string thinking that it would re-run the setup and create the database tables but it did not. Instead I just get an error that different database objects don't exist. (the error says object but I think it is a table or something).

First, am I doing something wrong or is the Umbraco in the Website Gallery configured wrong? If it is me, what am I doing wrong to get it to use my Azure SQL database out of the box?

Second, how can I get an existing Azure Website running Umbraco to run the install/setup routine to create the database tables? I tried deleting everything in the App_Data folder but that didn't help.

Answer 1

To set-up on azure I would do this manually, using this approach:

1. configure your Azure website & azure sql using the azure portal (http://manage.windowsazure.com or the new http://portal.azure.com)
2. download umbraco on http://our.umbraco.org/download
3. upload the umbraco source using FTP
4. surf to your website url linked to the resource configured in step 1
5. On the first screen, where you enter your admin credentials, click customize. Then follow the extra installation steps.

Step 5 solves your second issue. Concerning your first issue, i have no clue what went wrong.